A/N: First of all: Thank you for your lovely reviews! I've been getting a couple more now so I'm happy to see that more people might be getting into this. :) R.C. Babcock :p so glad that you're enduring this even though it's killing you...it's killing me too at times haha And I enjoy writing Allyson as well. Anyway, here's the new chapter. Let me know what you think :)

Chapter 8:

In the days following the photo shoot Niles kept trying to talk to C.C. but it was almost impossible to catch her alone. In fact, it became such a futile task that he was beginning to suspect that she was avoiding him on purpose. But he didn't let it deter him, if anything it only made him more determined to reach her. If she hadn't been experiencing the same feelings and if she wouldn't have similar thoughts and doubts, she simply would've shrugged him off. But avoidance, now that was interesting because she only avoided the things that made her feel uncomfortable.

With his mind made up, Niles strode confidently into the lobby of the Hampton Inn once more. He vaguely registered that the receptionist was opening his mouth but ignored him, figuring that it was probably just a greeting now that he knew who he was. And he'd already forgotten all about him by the time he stood in front of room 209 once more. Knocking, he quickly made sure his pants and shirt weren't wrinkled, and then smiled when she opened the door.

"Niles!" she looked surprised and a little bit nervous which he took to be a good sign, perhaps they were alone at last.

"Hi," he nodded "now before you close the door in my face, let me just tell you that I only want to talk to you. I know you've been avoiding me and I know it's because of what happened at the creek. C.C., we've never made things better by not talking…maybe it's time we tried to change that."

She didn't reply but he had known that it would take some convincing, so he continued to talk until the door behind her suddenly opened. A grey-haired man, wearing a matching grey cardigan stepped out from what appeared to be the bathroom.

"We have a guest?" he asked happily.

Niles and C.C. didn't make eye contact and no introductions were necessary to tell him that this was Richard.

"Yes," he nodded and forced himself out of this state of shock "I'm Niles, nice to meet you. I just came to see if C.C. perhaps was free and wanted to join me for a trip to our daughter's once more. There's nothing like terrorising your child, you know?"

It was as if someone was squeezing his windpipe, so that his chuckle came out in a high-pitched wheezing sound. If the other man was fazed by the sudden appearance of his girlfriend's ex-husband whom she was supposed to loath, he didn't let it show. In fact, his demeanour hadn't changed one bit.

"Richard's only just arrived," C.C. said but he chuckled and pressed a kiss to her temple.

"If you want to spend some more time with Emily that's alright by me. I've taken some course preparations along so I'm happy to wait here for you."

Niles wanted to retch.

"It's okay," he quickly said before C.C. had had the chance to respond "I know you two haven't seen each other for a while. I didn't know you'd be coming today. I'll see you later."

He forced another painful smile and then turned to go; he didn't want to see her reaction. The sound of the door closing came as a relief to him but he kept his eyes focused on the carpet nonetheless. He didn't even slow down when he heard it creak open once more; he wasn't properly paying attention either. It only took her voice to stop him in his tracks.

"Looks like you're too late…"

He froze and grew tense. That voice could only belong to one person and when he finally turned around he saw that it was indeed B.B. Babcock. Wearing a familiar smug little smile she managed to look less out of place than he'd imagined.

"Hello mother…" he greeted her with a fake smile.

"I've told you how I hate it when you call me that, servant." she commented and his grin broadened.

Being stuck in a wheelchair now had evidently not softened her one bit.

"Well, as lovely as this has been I've got some errands to run," he said and turned to head towards the lift again but her sharp voice cut through the air and hindered his progress once more.

"Liar, you said you were going to visit my granddaughter, though I suppose that was a lie as well." He heard the door close and then the soft squeaking of the wheelchair as she came closer. "I'm coming along."

He whirled around on the spot. "Don't you need Gustave? Don't you want your nice, fancy car?"

"Yours will do for now. As for Gustave?" she shrugged her bony shoulders "One servant is as replaceable as the next. Now let's hurry up a little, I could drop dead any moment…"

"And we're all rooting for you…" Niles muttered under his breath and then pressed the button to call the elevator.


They spent the drive over to Emily's house in silence which was something Niles was grateful for. He couldn't have put up with any more of her complaining or snide remarks about missed opportunities. So instead he tried to figure out a way to warn Emily about her grandmother's arrival but there wasn't one. But whatever feelings of empathy he experienced quickly disappeared again when he reminded himself that it had been his daughter who had invited the dreadful woman to her wedding. So surely she'd have to cope with her now as well.

"Perfectly horrid town," B.B. finally remarked when they had left the town centre behind and were headed for Cedar Drive "why she'd want to study in Georgia of all places."

"I'm surprised you allowed her to study at all...without meddling, I mean," he mumbled under his breath, thinking how much his ex-wife had had to fight for her right to study rather than settle down with some pre-determined husband.

"The world has changed," she responded loftily "and by that I don't necessarily mean for the better. Women these days are practically forced to earn a living as well because the men have become such whimps."

"Yes...I'm sure that's why."

"With her smarts she could've easily gone to an Ivy League College..." B.B. continued "of course they take a closer look at the family as well..." she paused and eyed him up and down with obvious disaste "but I'm sure I could've taken care of whatever shortcoming there was."

Niles began yearning for the moments of silence once more.

"I went to Oxford," he then reminded her through gritted teeth.

"And still became a butler," she hummed "that doesn't exactly speak for your intelligence now, does it?"

He gripped the wheel tighter and nearly slammed into Emily's car when they flew into the driveway. B.B. made a disapproving clicking sound with her tongue, then opened the door and waited for him to come round with her wheelchair. For a moment he contemplated leaving her in there to rant and rave but eventually he helped her out. Then he walked up to the front door, B.B. wheeling along after him and rang the bell.

"Hi dad," Emily smiled "everything okay?"

"I'm afraid I have a rather nasty surprise for you," he muttered and stepped past her into the house so she could see B.B.

"Grandma! You're here already!" Emily exclaimed, crouching down so she could wrap her arms around her.

"I see impending marriage has already taught you to fake enthusiasm...congratulations, my dear, that's the first step." B.B. remarked and carefully patted her granddaughter's back before withdrawing once more.

"Behave," Emily chuckled and pecked her cheek, without even looking the tiniest bit put-off "come in and meet Matthew. I'll get you something to drink in the meantime."

"My condolences," Niles mouthed to his future son-in-law and then secured himself a place on the sofa.

"Mrs Babcock," he tried with a polite smile and then offered his hand to her.

"It's Miss Babcock," she corrected him immediately "age doesn't always have to change your marital status."

"No...I guess not," he stammered and awkwardly withdrew his hand and then turned around to Emily for help.

"We're not done yet, young man." B.B. intersected and his head snapped back in her direction "Come closer...let me look at you."

Niles could see his adam's apple bopping when he swallowed and then carefully inched closer. When B.B. gestured again he clumsily crouched down in front of her.

"Mmh..." she hummed, inspecting him carefully "mmh..."

He didn't dare to move or glance at Emily once more.

"And what do you call this?" she finally asked, tugging painfully at a couple of strands of his hair that ran together into a ponytail.

"Um...hair?" he frowned.

"What grandma means to say," Emily commented, pushing a glass of water into her hands "is that she doesn't approve of the length of your hair."

"It is only appropriate if you're in a rock band and then you'd certainly not be a suitable candidate to marry my granddaughter."

"I...I'm not..." he mumbled.

"Well, that's a relief, I suppose." she smiled coolly "But it does mean that you'll have to get a haircut before the wedding."

"No, he doesn't," Emily rolled her eyes "he looks cool like that. It's the first thing that attracted me to him."

"First my daughter marries a butler and now this..." B.B. started but Emily interrupted her with a chuckle.

"You're dating your own butler, grandma. You're such a hypocrit."

Niles tilted his head, a grin forming on his lips. Could it be that his daughter had just caused B.B. Babcock to blush?

"Dating, Emily," she quickly replied "not marrying. Now it's common knowledge in the upper circle that butlers make excellent lovers but only a fool would choose to marry them."

"Don't let Gustave hear that," Emily grinned.

"Why not? The old fool would never dream of leaving me." B.B. replied but there was a fondness in her tone that Niles found both intriguing and repelling.

However, fearing that she might go into further details, he cleared his throat and said: "So Emily...is everything set for the bachelor party? When are the twins arriving?"

To his surprise, she shot him an angry look and shook her head. He was just about to ask why when B.B. opened her mouth and clarified things.

"A bachelor party?" she asked, her pale blue eyes flickering over to Matthew "For him as well?"

"Yes," Emily sighed.

"Now that's just plain dumb, girl. Men are simple creatures...easily led astray so there's really no need to tie a guide light around the tip of their cock that leads them to the best available prey before you're even married."

Matthew and Niles grimaced while Emily shook her head once more.

"Nothing is gonna happen, grandma. We'll just go out with a couple of friends for a few drinks. Besides, dad will be there too to keep an eye on him."

Matthew looked at him questioningly and Niles shrugged to indicate that this was news to him as well but chose not to question it at that moment. The ringing of the doorbell broke up any further discussion and Emily hastily got to her feet to answer it.

"Gustave," she smiled and hugged the old but smartly dressed butler "did you lose something?"

"Yes, she's developed a habit of slipping away," he sighed "just when I thought the chair might stop her."

"Keep dreaming, old man..." Barbara replied swiftly "if I can go Island hopping with you, I can certainly find a way to see my granddaughter."

"Of course," he smiled and stepped inside and placed a kiss to the crown of her head before she could swat him away "but now that you've seen her for a bit why don't we go back to the hotel and rest?"

"Yes, I suppose," she inclined her head with dignity "it is better to be well rested for a bachelor party."

"Bachelor Party?" Gustave asked with a chuckle and a brief glance at the others while he wheeled her to the door.

"Yes, Niles is chaperoning Matthew and so will you," B.B. instructed.

"But what about you?"

"Oh I'm sure Chastity will be delighted to push me around so we can join Emily's special celebrations."

And with a last apolgetic look from Gustave they disappeared out of sight.

"Good job, dad," Emily groaned and burried her face in her hands.